Lecture 4 Notes The Second Commandment

Question 1

The Second Commandment

Answer 1

“You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.” (Ex 20:4–6; Deut 5:8–10)

Question 2

2nd Comm.:Relationship to the First Commandment

Answer 2

i. There is distinct similarity between the first and second commandments.
ii. Exclusive worship of God automatically precludes
1. Graven images (idols created by hands)
iii. The first commandment makes a statement about the INTERNAL ASPECTS OF WORSHIP, and the second commandment makes application to the EXTERNAL PRACTICE OF WORSHIP

Question 3

2nd Comm: Theological Justification: Jealousy of God

Answer 3

1. “You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God.”
2. God’s jealousy means that God continually seeks to protect his own honor. (1 Cor 4:7; Rev 4:11; Isa 48:11)
3. God’s jealousy is related to the idea that the people of Israel were his chosen people.
   a. The people deny the power of the delivering God, internally and externally through idolatry.
   b. There is an expectation of external demonstration by the chose people of God.

Question 4

2nd Comm: Theological Justification: Jesus is the visible image of God

Answer 4

1. “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” (Col 1:15)
2. “Philip said to Him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, “Show us the Father”?’” (John 14:8–9)
3. “What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life—and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us—what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.” (1 John 1:1–3)
4. The only physical representation of God is the incarnate Christ.
5. “The visibility of God’s form is, in Scripture, an eschatological concept.” John Frame

Question 5

2nd Comm: Theological Justification: Results of Idolatry

Answer 5

i. “. . . visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me . . .”
ii. Descendants are not held personally responsible for an ancestor’s sin. (Ezek 18:20)
iii. However, idolatry can have a long-lasting effect as a sin that continues to future generations.
iv. National sin can also bring multi-generational consequences.

Question 6

Ethical Impact:Graven Images 1

Answer 6

i. The immediate impact of this commandment is to prevent making images to be Worshipped
ii. One reason they were such an abomination is that graven images are lifeless, made from earthly material.
iii. Worshipping an image exchanges the glory of God for the image of created things.
1. The created is substituted for the Creator
2. God is replaced by his creation.

Question 7

Ethical Impact:Graven Images 2

Answer 7

iv. Idols in Israel
1. Household gods and idols were a part of the history of Israel back to the time of the patriarchs.

2. The Hebrews were most certainly exposed to idols in Egypt.
3. The most famous idol fashioned by the people of Israel was the golden calf formed while Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments. (Exod 32)
4. Idol worship was common throughout the history of Israel and brought the wrath of God.

Question 8

Ethical Impact:Uses of Images in Worship

Answer 8

i. Images of God or any other being are not to be used in worship in the sense that they are the objects of worship.
ii. Can images be used in a way that they are not worshiped?

Question 9

Ethical Impact:Christian Art

Answer 9

i. Should Christians produce artwork that represents Jesus or God?
1. Images of God or Jesus often reflect the culture in which it was made.
ii. What is the line between art and worship?